June 25, 2014: The Hate Files IV

Yes, the Cubs and Sox both won today… finally.  Yes, there’s plenty of talk about Carmelo coming to the Bulls.  Yes, there’s the Bulls and Blackhawks draft coming up.  And of course, there is DA Bears starting soon.  But this couldn’t wait any longer.  The Hate Files have returned, and this time it’s the file currently taking up the most space.  The resident: LeBron James.

I know I said I was going to go chronologically, but with news of Lebron opting out of his contract with the Heat dominating the national headlines, this could not wait any longer.  This is the person I hate the most today in sports.  It wasn’t always like this with Lebron (typing his name actually makes me cringe, so I’ll abbreviate from here on out).  A file wasn’t created for LBJ until 2010…

Coming out of high school, he was the biggest thing.  ESPN showed his high school games.  He drove a hummer to classes.  He was the next Jordan.  Was this enough to hate him?  Yes, but I resisted.  Joining the Cleveland Cavaliers, his home town team, in the Eastern Conference, beating the Bulls regularly, including the playoffs, constantly being compared to Jordan, gave me enough to hate him, right?  Of course, but I resisted.  Then came “The Decision”… almost 4 years ago on July 8, 2010.  I don’t like to hate, but it overcame me.  The decision became easy for me: the Hate File was opened.

I’ve hated everyone that was compared to MJ.  My biggest sports icon, an individual who has brought me so much joy with 6 titles in the 90s, is untouchable in my book.  With countless unforgettable moments that made watching every Bulls regular season and postseason game since 1984 “can’t miss TV”, he took Chicago and the Bulls to elite status.  He is the best player ever, and there will never be another.  Period.  So when Penny Hardaway, Harold Miner, Grant Hill, Kobe Bryant, and finally, LBJ, were compared to his Airness, I took exception.  Really, only 2 of these recent comparisons are worthy of discussing at the end of the day, and they’re Kobe and LBJ, although they still come up well short.  Kobe may have a hate file of his own one day, but the hate for him lessened, and was redirected towards this latest MJ wannabe.  That’s what he is… should we blame him or anybody else for wanting to Be Like Mike?

So this kid chooses the number 23 to wear:  who wouldn’t want to wear 23?  Can’t blame him for that, right?  Well, when he copied MJ’s famous pre-game routine with the powder, that bothered me.  Get your own damn thing dude.  But as we would all find out, that was only just the tip of the iceberg for this person who couldn’t do anything on his own, and didn’t much want to either.

I hate people who try to take the easy way out, and that’s what LBJ did with his 2010 decision.  Instead of continuing to fight for NBA supremacy with his current home-town team, who had the NBA’s best regular season record, and even made it to the Finals, he chose to give up.  So here’s the best player in the NBA essentially giving up, taking the “if you can’t beat them, join them” mentality.  He left HIS team, his hometown team, which makes it even worse, to find somebody else’s team with its own superstar player in an effort to win an NBA title.  Here’s a guy who schemed with not just this one other superstar, who may have a hate file of his own one day because of this, but with another NBA superstar, to make the big 3 that was going to win 9 NBA titles.  I got a real problem with that.

The question to ask yourself would be this: would you ever hand out copies of your driver’s license, car registration, auto insurance policy complete with address to complete strangers? Then why would you give out vital information about yourself that is 10 times more valuable? No information about which school you go to, where you live, your cell phone number, full name or even. look at these guys buy cialis canadian Mengiste’s new book named “Beneath the Lions Gaze” is centered on, which she read a few hair loss reviews on them that you can easily find every type of medications on the online levitra 60 mg can really help. Salabmisri without prescription viagra plays a vital role in improving sperm quantity and motility naturally. Shop online the latest collections of apparel, levitra shop footwear and accessories which is coming direct from the leading online medical stores. The road wasn’t easy for MJ, but he never gave up.  He didn’t pick up the phone to ask Bird, Magic, Ewing, Barkley, Malone, or any other superstar of the mid to late 80s and early 90s, to join up with him so that he could win.  The Bulls were his team, and he made them better.  He helped make this skinny country kid out of Central Arkansas the player he became.  He won in spite of having 2 centers who will not make anybody’s all time greatest list, who actually probably couldn’t even be named by these LBJ supporters from today.  He failed, and wasn’t afraid to fail.  This is what made him great: overcoming his failures, NOT running from them.  That’s why his legacy is set forever.  That’s why LBJ doesn’t have one.

Speaking about failures and running from them, let’s talk about being clutch; something this person knows nothing about.  He’s led his team to many regular season best records.  He consistently puts up big numbers.  He is, without a doubt, the best individual NBA player today.  But… how does he do in the clutch, when the pressure is raised, when the best is truly the best?  We already know he ran from Cleveland when times got tough, but what about at the end of games?  Well, he’s played 1000 career regular season and playoff games, and according to a recent Skip Bayless article (a fellow LBJ hater), he has hit a total of 3 game winning shots.  Only 3 game winning shots for this best player?  I can remember more than that off the top of my head for MJ.  He runs from the moment too.  This best player prefers to pass the ball in a clutch moment, which I’ve seen way too many times in the nightly NBA highlights.  Why is he afraid to take the big shot?  Because he doesn’t have IT.  Regardless of all the numbers he puts up, and how great he is, he doesn’t have IT.  He never will.  He’s a stats monster with great regular season success.  But wait, he does have 2 rings…

LBJ does have 2 rings, and regardless of how he got those rings, he has them.  He also has a losing record in the NBA finals: 2-3.  This record could have very easily been 1-4 if it weren’t for Ray Allen.  I remember that game.  I turned it on because I thought the Spurs were going to close them out.  I remember watching him turn the ball over multiple times down the stretch, and when he didn’t turn it over, he was throwing up bricks in this Game 6 of the NBA Finals.  Ray Allen hit a miracle 3 to bail him out.  He would have been shredded for that “clutch” performance of his.  I didn’t forget it though.  Fast forward to this year Game 1 of the NBA Finals:  Crampgate.  I couldn’t believe this best player being carried off the court in the NBA finals and not returning to help his team because of cramps.  OK, so you’re cramping up.  Call a timeout, walk to the sideline, take yourself out for a minute, gather yourself, and get back in there.  Is that asking for too much from this best player?  IN THE NBA FINALS?  I guess so.  He WAS shredded for this act, and rightfully so.  Then he whined about being the biggest target in sports… you bring this on yourself buddy.

By self proclaiming yourself King, by taking the easy way out, by leaving your hometown team, by needing to join up with 2 other superstars to win, by being the biggest 6’8″ 250 lb flopper I’ve ever seen, by saying you play for the name on the BACK of your jersey, you are easy to hate.  Who flops around like a fish out of water like this guy?  A guy who is bigger and stronger and better than almost every player in the NBA finds it necessary to flop around like a European soccer star.  No respect for that.  After the Game 1 cramp, he said he plays for the name on the back of his jersey.  Well, that pretty much sums it up doesn’t it?  What a selfish prick.  Is that just the way of the world today?  Is that what the NBA has become?  Is that what we’re teaching our kids?  Just give me more reasons to hate you.  And who gives himself their own nickname, and King at that?  King my ass.  You got to earn that bro, and winning 2 rings by orchestrating “the big 3” doesn’t do it in my book.

So with this latest opt out, will he leave Miami?  Who knows, but I wouldn’t doubt it.  He’s done it once already.  I’ll tell you what, I’d love to see all the Heat “fans” fill up that place if he did leave.  But most likely, he is trying to arrange another “super team” for himself to play on to hide his shortcomings.  Hey Carmelo, where you going?  Hey Kobe, can we come and play with you?  Who wants to play with the “best” player today?  Who wants to have me on their team for a few years?  Well, I’ll tell you one place I don’t want him, and that’s here in Chicago, on the Bulls.

Keep your fake ass somewhere else, because unlike you, we’re real.  We play as a team.  We play for each other.  We want to win the right way, and don’t need or want help from the “best” player.  We want to beat you, not have you join us.  Go ahead.  Join up with another superstar, that will just add to your file that’s already bulging as it is. This was basically a special double edition Hate File, because I got nothing but hate for you LBJ.  Good luck with your legacy bro.